Today I am posting an amazing appetizer recipe that our good friend Shari made for my husband and I one evening at her home.
It is quite possibly one of my very favorite appetizers…the sweet chili-lime sauce just makes this PERFECT! I’ve mentioned before in this blog that Shari is my inspiration for a lot of my cooking projects…she has encouraged me to dream big, and be fearless in the kitchen. She inspires me. I am blessed to call her my friend… and I thank God for our friendship of 17+ years!

I am posting the recipe Shari used, and (with her permission) I am posting a couple pics of the finished product. I took the photos and watched her prepare these step by step…then I ate these gorgeous shrimp (someone had to do it…I sacrificed for the team), but SHE and her husband did ALL the true work on these.

Our dear friends… and great cooks!

The recipe was originally published in Bon Appetit magazine’s October 2006 issue. It is a fairly straightforward recipe, and an incredibly delicious appetizer. The shrimp are crunchy, and when paired with the sauce…oh my…what an amazing appetizer! I hope you will give these a try.

Crunchy Coconut Shrimp, served with a side of sweet chili-lime sauce. Perfect for main course or a great appetizer!

As Prepared By: JB at The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Recipe type: Main Dish, Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Serves: 12

Ingredients

For the sauce:

¾ cup Asian sweet chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy)

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice

For the shrimp:

¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon curry powder (preferably Madras style)

¾ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup club soda

Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

1½ cups medium shredded unsweetened coconut

16 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left intact

Directions

Make the sauce: Mix the sweet chili sauce, chopped cilantro, and lime juice in a small serving bowl. Cover and chill (sauce can be made a day ahead).

Make the batter for the shrimp: Whisk the flour, curry powder, baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the lightly beaten egg and the club soda. Whisk these ingredients together only until the ingredients are incorporated. The batter should still be a bit "lumpy". Set the batter aside and let it "rest" for approximately 15 minutes.

To make the shrimp: While the batter is "resting", pour vegetable oil into a large, heavy saucepan (or an electric skillet with temperature gauge). Use enough oil to come up about halfway up the sides of your pan. Attach a deep-fry thermometer to the saucepan. Heat the oil on medium until it reaches 375 degrees.

Before you cook the shrimp, line a baking sheet with several thicknesses of paper towels (to drain the shrimp once cooked).

Spread the coconut out onto a plate.

Line up the batter bowl, then the plate of coconut and place them near the pan with the hot oil.

Working with one shrimp at a time (hold the shrimp by the tail!), dip it into the batter. Allow the excess batter to drip back into the bowl, then roll it in the coconut, still holding onto that tail. Cover both sides of shrimp-you may have to use your other hand to scoop some of the coconut onto the shrimp.

Carefully put the shrimp into the 375 degree oil (make sure the oil is at temperature before adding, to ensure a good crunch and browning). Work in batches, cooking 4-5 shrimp at a time. Deep-fry the shrimp about 2- ½ minutes (turning halfway through cooking time).

Remove the golden brown colored, cooked shrimp to the paper-towel lined baking sheet to drain. **Before you add the next batch of shrimp to the oil, make sure the oil is back to temperature! (this is important!).